Latch



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Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

J., M01). TURNER.

LATCH.

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UNlTED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JOHN MCDONALD TURNER, or return, rnnnnssnn.

LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming 5m ofLetters Patent. Nb. 315,978, dated April 14, 1885.

Application filed August 8, 1884.

To aZZ who??? it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Triune, in the county of Williamson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Latches. of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to latches designed for use upon gates, doors, 8m; and it has for its object to provide a device of this character which shall be cheap and simple in its construction, effective in its operation, and one that shall be strong and durable.

The invention consists in the combination, with a gate or door, of a locking bar or latch sliding in brackets thereof and adapted to engage a keeper, and alever pivoted to said latch and the door or gate.

The invention further consists in the improved construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a gate, showing my improved latch applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the operating handle or lever. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the lockingbar, and Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the brackets or keepers for guiding the lockingbar.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate oorrespou ding parts in all the figures, A represents an upright or post, to which the gate is pivoted, while the other upright or post, 13., carries the keeper B. The gate may be of any ordinary or well-known construction, and hung in any suitable manner.

Near the forward end of the gate are provided, on each side thereof, vertical strips B, which serve to brace the horizontal bars. Upon one of said strips, a slight distance from the upper end thereof, is secured a bracket, 0, while a similar bracket, D, is secured to the vertical post E of the gate. The bracket D is secured to the post E, on a horizontal line a slight distance below the bracket (1, from which it will be seen that when the latch or locking-bar is mounted in said brackets it will occupy an inclined position, and will have a tendency to slide downward.

13 represents the locking-bar, which, as be- (No model.)

I fore mentioned, is mounted to slide in the brackets C and D. Said bar is reduced at its forward end to form a shoulder, a, which bears against the inner side or edge of the bracket D, the reduced portion sliding within the bracket. At the point at which the latch or locking-bar is mounted in the bracket 0 it is recessed or cut away, as shown, thus forming shoulders b, which, in connection with the shoulder a, limit the movement of the latch further than to insure its proper working.

The reduced end of the latch is adapted to engage the keeper B of the upright or post B to retain the gate in a closed or locked position. The front face of this keeper is beveled,in order that when the gate is being closed the latch may readily slide over the same, and thus makeits operation automatic, as the latch in sliding over said beveled portion is forced upwardly, and after it has reached the opening in the keeper drops by its own weight into engagement therewith. The rear end or wall of said keeper is closed, and against said closed end or wall the lower end of the locking-bar bears when the gate is closed and latched.

Adjacent to the upper end of the strip B, to which the bracket 0 is secured, is pivoted a lever, G, the forward end of which is divided, and is adapted to inclose the reduced rear end of the locking bar or latch, to which it is pivoted.

It will be seen that to disengage the latch from the keeper it is only necessary to slightly depress the free end of the lever, which, being pivoted to said latch, will draw the same rearwardly and out of engagement with the keeper. The gate when swung back will latch or look itself, the beveled face of the lockingbar striking the beveled face of the keeper.

It will be seen from the above description that my improved latch may be applied to gates now in use without any change or alterations, and also that it may be used to advan tage upon barn or stable doors. Further, that its construction is simple and durable, that it may be manufactured at a slight cost, and that its operation is thoroughly effective.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with'a gate or door hav- ICO ing brackets-secured thereto on different horizontal planes, of a sliding locking-bar mounted in said brackets, a lever pivoted to the rear the rear end of the latch or locking-bar and 'to the gate, and a keeper, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as [5 my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MCDONALD TURNERF Witnesses:

ATHA THOMAS, WM. HOUsE. 

